Civic Education - Junior Secondary 3 - 1989 Constitution

Term: 1^st Term

Week: 8

Class: Junior Secondary School 3

Age: 14 years

Duration: 40 minutes of 2 periods each

Date:

Subject:      Civic education

Topic:-       1989 constitution

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to

1. State the features, merits and demerits of the 1989 constitution

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES: Identification, explanation, questions and answers, demonstration, videos from source

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: Videos, loud speaker, textbook, pictures

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES

PERIOD 1-2

NOTE

CONSTITUTION

1989 PRESIDENTIAL (THIRD REPUBLICAN) CONSTITUTION

At the end of 1983, it had become clear that the 1979 constitution had failed. The Shagari/Ekwueme administration was overthrown by Buhari on the 31st of December, 1983. The military suspended the 1979 constitution and ruled by decrees and edicts.

Buhari government was overthrown by Babangida in 1985, and in 1987 the 1979 constitution was reviewed and was approved by the Armed Forces Ruling Council in 1989.

The 1989 constitution adopted the 1979 constitution with some amendments. The political bureau was established on 13 January 1986 with seventeen members. It collated the views of Nigerians on nation’s political future and wrote a report on this for Constitution Review Committee (CRC).

The CRC was inaugurated on 7 September, 1987 with forty-six members to use the recommendations of the political bureau in reviewing the 1963 and 1979 republican constitutions.

FEATURES OF 1989 PRESIDENTIAL CONSTITUTION

• There was separation of powers as members of the executive are not members of the legislature. This promoted the effectiveness of the organs and freedom and liberty of the citizens.
• The president was above his political parties. The party did not have control over him since he was popularly elected by the electorates.
• The president appoints his ministers. He can direct and check their activities as they are individually responsible to him.
• The constitution was supreme and as such must be obeyed and respected by all authorities and citizens.
• It fixed the tenure of office of the political office holder, thus, it prevented the tendencies of any leader or party from perpetuating itself in power.
• Fundamental human rights were fully elaborated and guaranteed.
• A new federal capital territory was provided for by the constitution.

MERITS OF 1989 PRESIDENTIAL CONSTITUTION:

1. The two party system made the choice of the electorate more focused with reduced confusion as in multi- party system.
2. Minimum qualification of age and education for candidates eliminated immature and ignorant people from participating in governance.
3. The greater prominence of local government made room for more rapid development at the local and rural areas.
4. It averted the ” two third” (2/3) controversy of the 1979 presidential election by making provision for fractions arising from the computation of votes to be rounded up to the next whole number
5. It identified the three forms of Nigerian citizenship namely- citizenship by birth registration and naturalization.

DEMERITS OF 1989 PRESIDENTIAL CONSTITUTION

1. The two party system limited the choice of both politicians and the electorate
2. Part time status and allowances given to legislators made them concentrate more on their private business than on law making
3. The law-makers can use the impeachment clause indiscriminately and to victimize a political opponent.
4. The appointment of people into federal establishments may not reflect federal character. This is because some sections of the country would still feel neglected.
5. There is the possibility of problems coming up between the executive and the legislature especially when the ruling party is not maintaining the majority in the legislature.

EVALUATION:    1. State and explain four features, merits and demerits of the 1989 constitution

CLASSWORK: As in evaluation

CONCLUSION: The teacher commends the students positively